The World Cup is one of the biggest moments of the year for Spanish-Language TV (SLTV). In 2026, 45% of U.S. World Cup viewing happened in Spanish, giving brands on SLTV a major opportunity to reach fans.
Now, EDO’s 2026 SLTV Outcomes Report shows just how much that opportunity paid off. SLTV ads during the 2026 World Cup generated 11x as much impact as the average ad on English- and Spanish-Language TV, driving brand searches and other consumer actions proven to predict future sales.
Leading brands like McDonald's, Burger King, and Toyota were ready for the moment with soccer-themed ads that drove powerful engagement. Here, we'll take a quick look at what worked.
Telemundo's hydration breaks were a hit
This year's World Cup debuted two mandatory hydration breaks per match, creating a new advertising opportunity in the middle of the game. Telemundo layered sponsorships into these breaks without cutting away from the action, an approach that drew praise from fans and delivered for advertisers. The average hydration break sponsorship drove 39x as much impact as the average ad on English- or Spanish-Language TV.
Fan culture wins the World Cup
The tournament's three most effective SLTV advertisers, McDonald's, Burger King, and Toyota, all scored big with a similar strategy: soccer-themed ads built around real fan rituals, with the product at the center of the story.
McDonald's led the way with a spotlight on its World Cup Meal, featuring David Beckham hunting for his own collectible cup at the drive-thru. The ad was 492% more effective than the average SLTV World Cup ad. Similar fan-first approaches powered Burger King's goal-celebration parody and Toyota's stormy road trip to the stadium. Burger King had commentators debating whether a player's celebration meant "love" or "Whopper," while Toyota showed devoted fans singing "Cielito Lindo" as their trucks powered through the storm.
Value messaging also proved successful, with restaurant brands like KFC, Chili's, and Sonic skipping the soccer tie-in in favor of a clear price and plenty of food. Chili's promoted its $10.99 "3 Para Mí" meal by lining up its Big Crispy Chicken Sandwich against a smaller McDonald's McCrispy in an ad that was 258% more effective than average. Meanwhile, KFC highlighted a $10 Bucket del Día and Sonic a $7 Big Deal Meal. Both leaned on appetizing close-ups of crispy chicken, tots, and dipping sauces to show just how much food fans get for the price.
Get the SLTV insights you need for every big moment
The World Cup proved that Spanish-Language TV can deliver outsized results — especially when brands show up with the right creative. With EDO's outcomes measurement, marketers can see exactly which ads drove consumer engagement.
Want to know which brands and ads made the biggest impact in SLTV this year? Download our 2026 Spanish-Language TV Outcomes Report.